Pill pouch

ABSTRACT

A pill pouch is disclosed. The pill pouch can include a receptacle to contain a pill. The receptacle can have an opening to receive the pill therein. The receptacle can be defined at least in part by a flexible side to facilitate breaking or crushing of the pill inside the receptacle. The pill pouch can also include an access feature associated with the receptacle to facilitate removal of the pill from the receptacle after the pill has been broken and/or crushed.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.17/410,929, filed Aug. 24, 2021, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/937,813, filed Nov. 10, 2015, now issued as U.S.Pat. No. 11,096,868, which is a continuation in part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/462,180, filed Aug. 18, 2014, now issued as U.S.Pat. No. 9,180,071, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/869,933, filed on Aug. 26, 2013, and 61/976,308,filed on Apr. 7, 2014, each of which is incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND

Medications are administered in a variety of forms. Although a liquidpreparation may be desirable in some situations, for some drugs a liquidpreparation may not be available. It can therefore be necessary toadminister a solid dosage form, such as a pill or tablet. In somesituations, however, a medication must be administered via a feedingtube. In this case, a pill or tablet can be crushed or reduced to a finepowder to facilitate administering the pill or tablet through a tube.For many years a simple mortar and pestle tool has been used to crushand grind pills for such purposes. Although there have been advancementsin pill crushing technology, current pill crushers typically rely on acrushing action to reduce pills to smaller particles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thedetailed description which follows, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, which together illustrate, by way of example,features of the invention; and, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an example illustration of a pill preparation device inaccordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 2A-2D are side cross-sectional schematic views of the pillpreparation device of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 is a top schematic view of the pill preparation device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an example illustration of a pill preparation device inaccordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is an example illustration of a pill preparation device inaccordance with yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is an example illustration of a pill preparation device inaccordance with still another embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is an example illustration of a pill pouch in accordance with anembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a detailed cross-sectional view of a cap and an opening of apill pouch, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a top view of a cap of a pill pouch, in accordance withanother embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 is an example illustration of a pill pouch in accordance withanother embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 11A-11F illustrate the pill pouch of FIG. 10 in use, in accordancewith an example of the present disclosure.

Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated, andspecific language will be used herein to describe the same. It willnevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of theinvention is thereby intended.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As used herein, the term “substantially” refers to the complete ornearly complete extent or degree of an action, characteristic, property,state, structure, item, or result. For example, an object that is“substantially” enclosed would mean that the object is either completelyenclosed or nearly completely enclosed. The exact allowable degree ofdeviation from absolute completeness may in some cases depend on thespecific context. However, generally speaking the nearness of completionwill be so as to have the same overall result as if absolute and totalcompletion were obtained. The use of “substantially” is equallyapplicable when used in a negative connotation to refer to the completeor near complete lack of an action, characteristic, property, state,structure, item, or result.

As used herein, “adjacent” refers to the proximity of two structures orelements. Particularly, elements that are identified as being “adjacent”may be either abutting or connected. Such elements may also be near orclose to each other without necessarily contacting each other. The exactdegree of proximity may in some cases depend on the specific context.

An initial overview of technology embodiments is provided below and thenspecific technology embodiments are described in further detail later.This initial summary is intended to aid readers in understanding thetechnology more quickly but is not intended to identify key features oressential features of the technology nor is it intended to limit thescope of the claimed subject matter.

Use of a typical pill crusher can lead to fine dust becoming airborne orremaining on the device after use, which can lead to cross-contaminationof various medications and also pose a risk to the patient andpractitioner. Thus, potential risk to patients can be reduced byminimizing the occurrence of tube occlusions and further eliminating orminimizing cross-contamination and unintended inhalation of medicationsby facilitating a closed pill preparation and delivery system.

Accordingly, a pill pouch is disclosed that can minimize or reduce pillor medication dust escaping and becoming airborne, which can alsominimize or reduce inhalation by hospital personnel and/or otherbystanders, such as patients or visitors. In one aspect, the potentialfor cross-contamination of medications can be minimized by the pillpouch. The pill pouch can include a receptacle to contain a pill. Thereceptacle can have an opening to receive the pill therein. Thereceptacle can be defined at least in part by a flexible side tofacilitate breaking or crushing of the pill inside the receptacle. Thepill pouch can also include an access feature associated with thereceptacle to facilitate removal of the pill from the receptacle afterthe pill has been broken and/or crushed.

In one aspect, a pill pouch is disclosed that can include a receptacleto contain a pill. The receptacle can have an opening to receive thepill therein. The receptacle can be defined at least in part by aflexible side to facilitate breaking or crushing of the pill inside thereceptacle. The pill pouch can also include a sealing mechanism operableto alternately seal the opening and provide access to the receptaclethrough the opening. The sealing mechanism can have a groove and ridgeconfigured to releasably interlock with one another. In addition, thepill pouch can include an access feature associated with the receptacleto facilitate removal of the pill from the receptacle after the pill hasbeen broken and/or crushed. The access feature can be oriented such thata longitudinal axis of the access feature extends parallel to theflexible side.

In one aspect, a pill pouch system is disclosed. The system can comprisea pill pouch including a receptacle to contain a pill. The receptaclecan have an opening to receive the pill therein. The pill pouch can alsoinclude an access feature to facilitate removal of the pill from thereceptacle after the pill has been broken and/or crushed. Additionally,the system can comprise an extraction instrument coupleable to theaccess feature to remove the pill from the receptacle.

One embodiment of a pill preparation device 100 is illustrated in FIG. 1. The pill preparation device 100 can comprise a base 110, which can beconfigured to rest on, or be rigidly coupled to, a support surface suchas a table, bench, cart, counter, or other support surface. In oneaspect, the base 110 can be configured to be mounted on a verticalsupport surface, such as a wall. The base 110 can include side walls 111a, 111 b, end walls 112 a, 112 b, and a bottom (hidden from view). Asdiscussed in more detail hereinafter, the base 110 can be configured toprovide structural support for various components and features of thepill preparation device 100. Accordingly, the structures of the base110, such as the side and end walls 111 a, 111 b, 112 a, 112 b, can varyin form from that illustrated in the figures. For example, a base caninclude a structural framework of beams, instead of walls, to providesuitable structural support for the various components and features of apill preparation device as disclosed herein.

The pill preparation device 100 can also comprise an anvil (hidden fromview) supported by the base 110, and a platen 130 coupled to the base110 and movable relative to the anvil. The platen 130 can have acrushing surface (hidden from view) oriented toward the anvil and arolling surface 132 on a side opposite the crushing surface. In oneaspect, the base 110 can include an opening 113 configured to facilitatedisposing a pill between the platen 130 and the anvil. As discussedfurther hereinafter, a pill can be disposed in a pill pouch, and theopening 113 can be configured to receive the pill pouch in order tolocate the pill between the platen 130 and the anvil.

In addition, the pill preparation device 100 can include a lever arm 140slidably coupled to the base 110 and rotatable about a pivot(represented by axis 141). A roller 150 can be coupled to the lever arm140 and offset 142 from the pivot such that the lever arm 140 isoperable to selectively position the roller 150 about the platen 130,such as by translational and/or rotational movement in directions 101and 102, respectively. In one aspect, the lever arm 140 can be slidablycoupled to the base 110 via a sliding mechanism 160. The slidingmechanism 160 can include a carriage 161 that is translatable along atrack 162 a, 162 b. The lever arm 140 can be pivotally coupled to thecarriage 161 and movable along the track 162 a, 162 b to position theroller 150 at a desired location relative to the platen 130. The slidingmechanism 160 can be configured to facilitate sliding or translationalmovement in any suitable manner. For example, in one aspect, thecarriage 161 and/or the track 162 a, 162 b can include a roller,bearing, wheel, or other device or feature to facilitate sliding ortranslational movement.

The lever arm 140 can include extension members 143 a, 143 b disposed onopposite sides of the roller 150. The extension members 143 a, 143 b canbe configured to rotatably couple with the carriage 161 and pivot aboutthe axis 141. In one aspect, the lever arm 140, such as the extensionmembers 143 a, 143 b, can be rotatably coupled to the carriage 161 via abearing, bushing, or other suitable device or feature. The extensionmembers 143 a, 143 b can also couple with and support the roller 150,such via an axle 151 of the roller 150. The roller 150 can include abearing, bushing, or other suitable device or feature to facilitaterotational movement of the roller 150 relative to the lever arm 140.

The lever arm 140 can also include a handle 144 to facilitatemaneuvering the lever arm 140, and thus the roller 150, by a user. Thehandle can comprise a grip enhancing feature or material to enable theuser to effectively grip the lever arm 140. In one aspect, the lever arm140 can be configured to locate the handle 144 in a position thatprevents interference between the user's hand and the base 110, platen130, or other feature of the pill preparation device 100 during use,which can minimize risk of injury to the user. For example, the handlecan be offset 145, such as by offsetting portion 146 a, 146 b, from alongitudinal axis of the extension members 143 a, 143 b to shift thehandle 144 away from a potential interference between the user's handand a component or feature of the pill preparation device 100.

In one aspect, the pill preparation device 100 can include a pill pouchattachment feature 170 a, 170 b. As discussed in more detailhereinafter, a pill pouch containing a pill can be disposed between theroller 150 and the rolling surface 132 of the platen 130. The pill pouchattachment feature 170 a, 170 b can be configured to secure or couplethe pill pouch to the platen 130 and properly position the pill aboutthe rolling surface 132 to be broken up by the roller 150 and therolling surface 132. In one aspect, the pill pouch attachment feature170 a, 170 b can comprise a protrusion to be received within a hole ofthe pill pouch.

The pill preparation device 100 can also include a handle 114 coupled tothe base 110 to facilitate stabilizing the pill preparation device 110by a user during use. The handle 114 can comprise a grip enhancingfeature or material to enable the user to effectively grip the handle114 to stabilize the pill preparation device 100. The handle 114 can bepositioned by a support arm 115 extending from the base 110.

In one aspect, the pill preparation device 100 can include a lever armsecuring mechanism to maintain the lever arm 140 in a stowed position,as shown in FIG. 1 , until further use. In one embodiment, the lever arm140 can be configured to have an interference with the handle 114 whenin the stowed position, which can serve to maintain the lever arm 140 inthe stowed position. For example, the offsetting portions 146 a, 146 bcan be configured to contact the handle 114 when in the lever arm 140 isin the stowed position, which can cause the handle 114 constructed of aresilient material, such as an elastomer, to compress due to theinterference and hold the lever arm 140 in the stowed position untilfurther use. In another embodiment, the pill preparation device 100 caninclude a magnet 154 to act on the roller 150 or the lever arm 140itself in order to maintain the lever arm 140 in the stowed position.

FIGS. 2A-2D illustrate side cross-sectional schematic views of the pillpreparation device 100 to show features hidden from view in FIG. 1 andto demonstrate operation of the pill preparation device 100. Certainfeatures have been omitted from these views for clarity. As shown inFIG. 2A, the pill preparation device 100 has the lever arm 140 in thestowed position illustrated in FIG. 1 , with the magnet 154 acting onthe roller 150 to maintain the lever arm 140 in the stowed position atan end 103 of the pill preparation device 100. The anvil 120 can be seenadjacent the bottom 116 of the base 110. The platen 130 is supported bythe base 110 and movable relative to the anvil 120, in this case by apivot 133 that provides for movement in a rotational degree of freedom.The platen 130 can be biased away from the anvil 120 by a spring 121,which can have ends disposed in countersunk holes 124, 134 in the anvil120 and the platen 130, respectively. The space provided by thecountersunk holes 124, 134 can accommodate the spring 121 whencompressed to provide a range of motion of the platen 130 that permitsthe platen 130 to press against the anvil 120. It should be recognizedthat the platen 130 can be biased away from the platen 120 by anysuitable biasing mechanism, such as a torsion spring associated with thepivot 133, for example. A stop 117 can limit the range of motion of theplaten 130 away from the anvil 120 and can therefore be configured toresist the biasing force acting on the platen 130. Biasing the platen130 away from the anvil 120 can provide a space 122 between the platen130 and the anvil 120, which can facilitate disposing a pill betweenthese two components, such as via the opening 113 in the base 110.

The base 110 can also include features, such as feet 118 a, 118 b, tointerface with a support surface. The feet 118 a, 118 b can comprisesurface features and/or a material that enhances grip between the pillpreparation device 100 and the support surface to prevent unwantedmovement of the pill preparation device 100 relative to the supportsurface during use.

FIG. 2B illustrates the lever arm 140 moved in direction 101 a via thecarriage 161 along the tracks 162 a, 162 b from the stowed positiontoward an end 104 of the pill preparation device 100. In one aspect, thelever arm 130 can be slidable in a translational degree of freedomparallel to a working surface 123 of the anvil 120. Such movement of thelever arm 140 can locate the roller 150 over the platen 130 inpreparation to break up a pill disposed between the crushing surface 131of the platen 130 and the anvil 120, and/or on the rolling surface 132of the platen 130. For example, when the lever arm 140 is rotated indirection 102 a about the pivot 141 a, the roller 150, which has acenter of rotation that is offset 142 from the pivot 141 a, can be movedtoward the platen 130. As shown in FIG. 2C, a force 105 applied to thelever arm 140 tending to cause movement of the roller 150 toward theplaten 130 can force the platen 130 toward the anvil 120 to facilitatebreaking up a pill disposed between the crushing surface 131 and theanvil 120. The location of the lever arm 140 and the roller 150 relativeto the platen 130 can be adjusted in direction 101 as desired to providean advantageous leverage when crushing a pill between the platen 130 andthe anvil 120. In one aspect, the offset 142 and/or the length of thelever arm 140 can be configured to provide adequate leverage forcrushing and/or rolling a pill as disclosed herein. In another aspect,the crushing surface 131 of the platen 130 and/or the working surface123 of the anvil 120 can include surface features, such as textures, tofacilitate breaking up a pill.

The base 110 can also include an opening 119 configured to accommodatethe lever arm 140 when rotated to cause the roller 150 to move towardthe platen 130. The downward force 105 applied by a user to the handle144 of the lever arm 140 can cause the end 103 of the pill preparationdevice 100 to lift up off of a supporting surface, which can createinstability when using the pill preparation device 100. Accordingly, theuser can provide a downward force 106 on the handle 114 to prevent suchan instable condition from occurring.

FIG. 2D illustrates operation of the pill preparation device 100 whenbreaking up a pill disposed on the rolling surface 132 of the platen130. In general, executing a crushing operation on a pill, such asbetween the platen 130 and the anvil 120, is useful to break up the pillinto small chunks, but it is insufficient to break up the pill into apowder form that can be readily administered to a patient via a tube,such as a feeding or IV tube. In addition, performing a rollingoperation on a pill can generally be effective to break up a pill intosmaller pieces than is possible with a crushing operation, even to theextent of rendering the pill in a fine powder form following the rollingoperation. Thus, one benefit of the pill preparation devices of thepresent disclosure is the ability to not only break up a pill bycrushing, but to also provide the ability to break up a pill by rollingto achieve a fine powdered form of the pill that can be readilyadministered through a tube without clogging.

For example, movement of the lever arm 140, such as in translationaldirection 101 and in rotational direction 102, can cause movement of theroller 150 to facilitate breaking up a pill 107 disposed between theroller 150 and the rolling surface 132. The lever arm 140 can beactively maneuvered back-and-forth and up-and-down to produce a desiredrolling effect on the pill 107 until the pill 107 has been convertedinto a suitable consistency, such as a powder. A diameter 152 of theroller 150 can be selected to facilitate rolling over the pill 107, witha larger diameter generally being more effective at overcoming chunks orother pill fragments than a smaller diameter. In one aspect, the platen130 can be biased toward the roller 150, such as by the spring 121. Thiscan cause the platen 130 to move in direction 108 as the roller 150rolls over the pill 107. For example, the platen 130 can provide some“give” away from the roller 150 as the roller 150 moves against the pill107, which can facilitate rolling over the pill 107 when the roller 150may otherwise be stopped or have difficulty in rolling over the pill107. Once a chunk or pill fragment has been overcome by the roller 150,the spring 121 can rebound to maintain the roller 150 in contact withthe pill 107. Thus, the spring 121 can be configured to provide asuitable amount of force to facilitate or enhance the rolling operation.This action provided by the spring 121 in conjunction with the selectivepositioning of roller 150 by the user manipulating the lever arm 140 canfacilitate a fast and effective rolling of the pill 107 into a powder.In one aspect, the roller 150 and the rolling surface 132 can be used ina crushing operation, such that the roller 150 is not used to roll but,rather, to simply crush the pill 107. Thus, the roller 150 can be usedin any suitable manner to achieve a desired result.

FIG. 3 illustrates a top schematic view of the pill preparation device100, with certain features omitted for clarity. Also included in thefigure is a pill pouch 180 that can be configured to contain a pill,represented generally by reference number 107 as a plurality pillsand/or pill fragments, chunks, and/or powder. In one aspect, the pillpreparation device 100 and the pill pouch 180 can form a pillpreparation system.

The pill pouch 180 can include a receptacle 181 to contain the pill 107.The receptacle 181 can comprise any suitable configuration, such as arectangular configuration illustrated in the figure. The receptacle 181can have an opening 182 to receive the pill 107 into the receptacle 181as well as to dispense the pill 107 from the receptacle 181. A closureor sealing mechanism 183 can be operable to alternately seal the opening182 and provide access to the receptacle 181 through the opening 182. Inone aspect, the closure or sealing mechanism 183 can have a groove 183 aand ridge 183 b configured to releasably interlock with one another. Thegroove 183 a and ridge 183 b can be similar to those of the closure orsealing mechanisms commonly utilized with resealable zipper bags, suchas Ziploc® bags. Any suitable number of grooves and ridges can beutilized in any suitable combination. In another aspect, the opening 182can be sealed, such as with heat, to form a temporary or permanent seal.

The pill pouch 180 can also include a tab 184 disposed on a side of thereceptacle 181, and a tab 185 disposed on an opposite side of thereceptacle 181. Each tab 184, 185 can be configured to interface and/orcouple with the pill preparation device 100, such as via pill pouchattachment feature 170 a, 170 b, 171 a, 171 b. For example, each tab184, 185 can have a hole 186 a, 186 b and 187 a, 187 b, respectively, tofacilitate coupling with the pill preparation device 100. In this case,the protrusions of the pill pouch attachment features 170 a, 170 b canextend through holes 186 a, 186 b of the tab 184, respectively, and theprotrusions of the pill pouch attachment features 171 a, 171 b canextend through or engage with holes 187 a, 187 b of the tab 185,respectively. In one aspect, the pill pouch attachment features 170 a,170 b, 171 a, 171 b can include a barb or hook to maintain engagementwith the respective holes 186 a, 186 b and 187 a, 187 b of the pillpouch 180. In one embodiment, a pill pouch attachment feature cancomprise a sharp tip to pierce a tab of a pill pouch. In this case, thetab can be devoid of a hole, as one is formed by the sharp tip uponpenetration of the tab.

The pill pouch attachment features 186 a, 186 b, 187 a, 187 b can belocated on the platen 130 such that there will be no interference withthe roller 150 as the roller 150 is manipulated about the platen 130during use. Thus, the pill pouch attachment features 186 a, 186 b, 187a, 187 b can be associated with the platen 130 in a manner thatfacilitates maintaining a position of the pill pouch 180 on the rollingsurface 132 during use without interfering or inhibiting the operationof the roller 150 to break up a pill. In one aspect, a width 109 of thereceptacle 181 can be roughly the same size as a width 153 of the roller150, which can maintain the pill 107 in a position to be broken up bythe roller 150. Thus, the configuration of the pill pouch attachmentfeatures 186 a, 186 b, 187 a, 187 b, the tabs 184, 185, and thereceptacle 181 can serve to position the pill 107 on the rolling surface132 of the platen 130 to facilitate breaking up the pill 107 by theroller 150.

As described in more detail hereinafter, the pill pouch 180 can includean access feature 188, which can provide an opening to the receptacle181. In one aspect, the access feature 188 can facilitate placement ofthe pill into the receptacle and/or removal of the pill 107 from thereceptacle 181 after the pill has been broken or crushed by the pillpreparation device 100. The access feature 188 can comprise a hole, aport, a slit, a breakable membrane, a luer connector, and/or any othersuitable access feature. For example, the access feature 188 can beconfigured to facilitate removal of the pill 107 from the receptacle 181using an extraction instrument, such as a syringe, a tube, a nozzle, ahypodermic needle, a hollow needle, and/or any other suitable device ormechanism for removing the pill from the receptacle, whether in a dry ora liquid solution form.

Thus, in one aspect, the access feature 188 can facilitate the removalof air from the pill pouch 180 once a pill has been deposited in thereceptacle 181 and the opening 182 has been closed to prevent the pillpouch from rupturing due to internal pressure develop while crushingand/or rolling the pill. Air can be removed through the access feature188 using a syringe, for example. In some cases, the syringe may remainwith the pill pouch 180 throughout the crushing and/or rolling processand out of the path of the roller 150, platen 130, and/or anvil 120. Inother cases, the syringe may be removed and the access feature can besealed to prevent air from entering the pill pouch 180. After the pill107 has been sufficiently crushed and/or rolled, a liquid can beintroduced into the receptacle via the access feature 188, such as usinga syringe, to form a liquid pill solution, which may be facilitated byshaking the pill pouch 180 to mix the contents. A solution can includeparticles in suspension and does not require that all materials aresolubilized within a liquid vehicle. A liquid or liquid vehicle can beany type of pharmaceutically acceptable liquid known in the art. Oncethe liquid pill solution has been formed, the solution can be removed,withdrawn, or evacuated from the pill pouch 180 via the access feature188 using an extraction instrument, such as a syringe. The liquid pillsolution can be delivered directly to a patient from the extractioninstrument, such as by depositing the solution from a syringe into afeeding tube. Thus, a closed pill preparation and delivery system can befacilitated by the pill pouch 180 that minimizes or reduces pill ormedication dust escaping the pill pouch 180, which can also minimize orreduce inhalation by hospital personnel and/or other bystanders, such aspatients or visitors.

It should be recognized that the access feature 188 can be located ordisposed at any suitable location about the pill pouch 180 and/orrelative to the receptacle 181. In one aspect, the access feature 188can be located to facilitate access to all portions of the receptacle181, such as a corner, to facilitate removal of the pill 107 from thereceptacle 181 following crushing and/or rolling of the pill using anextraction instrument, such as a syringe, whether in a dry or a liquidsolution form. In another aspect, the access feature 188 can be locatedto position the extraction instrument such that the extractioninstrument will not interfere with crushing and/or rolling operations ofthe pill preparation device 100 when the extraction instrument iscoupled with the pill pouch 180 during a crushing and/or rollingoperation. Thus, the access feature 188 can be located at one end of thepill pouch 180, as shown in FIG. 3 . In a particular aspect, the accessfeature 188 can be located substantially on a longitudinal axis of thepill pouch 180 (as shown in the figure), or off-axis, such as proximatea corner of the receptacle 181.

FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of a pill preparation device 200in accordance with the present disclosure. The pill preparation device200 is similar in many respects to the pill preparation device 100illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 . The pill preparation device 200, however,illustrates a platen 230 that is movable relative to an anvil 220 indirection 209, which represents a translational degree of freedom. Inthis case, a base 210 can include a slot 272 a, 272 b and the platen 230can have a protrusion 273 a, 273 b configured to move within the slot272 a, 272 b, respectively. In one aspect, the slot 272 a, 272 b and theprotrusion 273 a, 273 b can be configured to constrain movement of theplaten to a translational degree of freedom. In another aspect, the slot272 a, 272 b and the protrusion 273 a, 273 b can be configured toprovide a gap between the slots and the protrusions to facilitate somedegree of rotational movement of the platen, as well. The protrusion 273a, 273 b and/or the slot 272 a, 272 b can include a bearing, roller,wheel, or any other suitable device or feature to facilitate movement ofthe protrusion 273 a, 273 b within the slot 272 a, 272 b. In one aspect,the pill preparation device 200 can also include springs 221 a, 221 bconfigured to bias the platen 230 away from the anvil 220. In this case,the anvil 220 forms a bottom of the pill preparation device 200. In oneaspect, the anvil 220 can be integral with the base 210.

The pill preparation device 200 can also include an extension 274operable with the base 210 to facilitate stabilizing the pillpreparation device 200 during use. For example, the extension 274 can beconfigured to extend from an end 204 of the pill preparation device 200to resist a downward force applied by a user to a handle 244 of a leverarm 240, which can prevent an end 203 of the pill preparation device 200from lifting up off of a supporting surface. In one aspect, theextension 274 can be fixed in position relative to the base 210. Inanother aspect, the extension can be movable relative to the base 210 indirection 275 between a stowed position and an operational position(shown) for use of the pill preparation device 200.

FIG. 5 illustrates yet another embodiment of a pill preparation device300 in accordance with the present disclosure. The pill preparationdevice 300 is similar in many respects to the pill preparation devices100 and 200 illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 . The pill preparation device 300,however, includes multiple platens 330 a, 330 b. In one aspect, theplatens 330 a, 330 b can be configured to provide different benefits.For example, the platen 330 a can function generally as described withrespect to the platen 130 of FIGS. 1-3 , and the platen 330 b canfunction generally as described with respect to platen 230 of FIG. 4 .Due to the ability of the platen 330 b to move vertically, the platen330 b can be made relatively short and compact when compared to theplaten 330 a and still provide a suitable space 322 b between the platen330 b and an anvil 320 for receiving a pill through an opening 313 b inthe base 310. In addition, locating the platen 330 b toward an end 303of the pill preparation device 300 can provide stability for the devicewhen applying force to a lever arm 340 to break up a pill using theplaten 330 b. Accordingly, the platen 330 b can be used primarily forcrushing a pill between the platen 330 b and the anvil 320. Once thepill has been sufficiently crushed, the pill can be disposed on therolling surface 332 a of the platen 330 a for a rolling operation withthe roller 350, which may require less force than a crushing operation.Thus, the platen 330 a can be used primarily for rolling operations.However, the platen 330 a can be used to crush a pill that is relativelyeasy to crush, without resorting to the platen 330 b.

FIG. 6 illustrates an additional embodiment of a pill preparation device400 in accordance with the present disclosure. The pill preparationdevice 400 can include a base 410, which can have a top portion thatserves as an anvil 420. The pill preparation device 400 can also includea lever arm 440 rotatably coupled to the base 410. In one aspect, thelever arm 440 can be rotatable about axes 464, 465 via a coupling member466. A platen 430 can be coupled to the lever arm 440 and configured tocontact the anvil 420 to break up or crush a pill disposed between theplaten 430 and the anvil 420, such as by movement of the lever arm 440about the axis 464. The platen 430 can be coupled to the lever arm by asupport member 435. A roller 450 can also be coupled to the lever arm440 and configured to contact the anvil 420 to roll and/or crush a pilldisposed between the roller 450 and the anvil 420, such as by movementabout the axes 465, 464. As shown, the roller 450 can be disposed aboutthe lever arm 440, although other configurations are possible. In oneaspect, the platen 430 and the roller 450 can be configured tosimultaneously contact the anvil 420 to ensure that sufficient crushingand/or rolling force can be applied to a pill on the anvil 420. Thelever arm 440 can include a handle 444 to facilitate manipulation of thelever arm 440 by a user. Thus, a pill may be crushed by the platen 430and the anvil 420 primarily by movement of the lever arm 440 about theaxis 464 and rolled by the roller 450 and the anvil 420 primarily bymovement of the lever arm 440 about the axis 465. The platen 430 and theroller 450 can therefore be utilized as desired to achieve a suitableconsistency of a broken up pill.

FIG. 7 illustrates a pill pouch 580 in accordance with another exampleof the present disclosure. The pill pouch 580 is similar in manyrespects to the pill pouch 180 discussed above with reference to FIG. 3. For example, the pill pouch 580 can include a receptacle 581 tocontain a pill, represented generally by reference number 507 as aplurality pills and/or pill fragments, chunks, and/or powder as a resultof breaking up and/or crushing of the pill. The pill pouch 580 can alsohave an opening 582 to receive the pill prior to being crushed and/orbroken up into small fragments or powder. The pill pouch 580 canoptionally include a tab 584 disposed on a side of the receptacle 581,and a tab 585 disposed on an opposite side of the receptacle 581. Eachtab 584, 585 can be configured to interface and/or couple with a pillpreparation device, such as via a hole 586 a, 586 b and 587 a, 587 binterfacing with pill pouch attachment features, as disclosedhereinabove. In addition, the pill pouch 580 can include an accessfeature 588 to facilitate removal of the pill 507 from the receptacle581 after the pill has been broken and/or crushed. In this case, theaccess feature 588 is associated with a cap 590, which is configured toat least partially block passage of material, such as the pill 507,through the opening 582.

It should be recognized that the opening 582 can be located or disposedat any suitable location about the pill pouch 580 and/or relative to thereceptacle 581. In one aspect, the opening 582 can be located tofacilitate access to all portions of the receptacle 581, such as acorner, to facilitate removal of the pill 507 from the receptacle 581.For example, the opening 582 can be located to position the accessfeature 588 to facilitate removal of the pill 507 from the receptacle581 following crushing and/or rolling of the pill using an extractioninstrument, such as a syringe, whether in a dry powdered form or as aliquid solution. In another aspect, the opening 582 can be located toposition the access feature 588 such that an the extraction instrumentwill not interfere with crushing and/or rolling operations of a pillpreparation device when the extraction instrument is coupled with thepill pouch 580 during a crushing and/or rolling operation. Thus, theopening 582 can be located at one end of the pill pouch 580, as shown inFIG. 7 . In a particular aspect, the opening 582 can be located off alongitudinal axis of the pill pouch 580, such as proximate a corner ofthe receptacle 581, as shown in the figure.

As illustrated in FIG. 8 , a cap 690 can include the access feature 688.The access feature 688 can include an opening 691, a hole, a port, aslit, or any other suitable feature to provide a passageway into areceptacle of a pill pouch to facilitate forming and extracting a liquidpill solution, as disclosed hereinabove. In one aspect, the opening 691can be formed at the time of use by penetrating a thin breakablemembrane, such as a thin metal foil or polymer membrane. In addition,the access feature 688 can include a coupling feature 692 configured tocouple with an extraction instrument, such as a syringe. Thus, in oneaspect, the coupling feature 692 can comprise a luer connector tofacilitate coupling with a syringe or other such device.

In addition, the cap 690 can be configured to be disposed in, or over,an opening 682 of a pill pouch. In one aspect, the cap 690 can beconfigured to couple with features defining the opening 682. Forexample, the opening 682 can be defined, at least in part, by a couplingfeature 689 a and the cap 690 can include a coupling feature 699 a tointerface with the coupling feature 689 a of the opening 682 to securethe cap 690 about the opening 682. The coupling features 699 a, 689 acan comprise a protrusion and a recess, threaded coupling features,interference fit features, press fit features, snap fit features, and/orany other suitable coupling features. In one aspect, the cap 690 caninclude a flange or lip 699 b to interface with a rim 689 b about theopening 682 to prevent the cap 690 from passing through the opening 682and into a receptacle of the pill pouch.

Although the cap 690 and the opening 682 can be of any suitable sizeand/or shape, as shown in the figure, the opening 682 and the cap 690can interface with one another such that the cap 690 is rotatablerelative to the opening 682 about an axis 693.

FIG. 9 illustrates one advantage of such a configuration. For example,an access feature 788 associated with a cap 790 can be eccentricallylocated relative to a rotational axis 793 of the cap 790 relative to anopening of a pill pouch. In one aspect, the rotatable and eccentricallylocated access feature 788 can facilitate removal of a pill or liquidpill solution via an extraction instrument extending through the accessfeature into the receptacle. For example, the access feature 788 can bepositionable via rotation of the cap 790 to position the extractioninstrument to reach portions of a crushed or broken pill or liquid pillsolution that may be located in a corner of the pill pouch that mayotherwise be inaccessible to the extraction instrument.

FIG. 10 illustrates a pill pouch 880 in accordance with another exampleof the present disclosure. The pill pouch 880 is similar in manyrespects to the pill pouches discussed above. For example, the pillpouch 880 can include a receptacle 881 to contain a pill. The pill pouch880 receptacle 881 can also have an opening 882 to receive the pillprior to being crushed and/or broken up into small fragments or powder.In addition, the pill pouch 880 can include an access feature 888associated with the receptacle 881 to facilitate removal of the pillfrom the receptacle 881 after the pill has been broken and/or crushed.

A closure or sealing mechanism 883 can be operable to alternately closeor seal the opening 882 and provide access to the receptacle 881 throughthe opening 882. In one aspect, the closure or sealing mechanism 883 canhave a groove 883 a and ridge 883 b configured to releasably interlockwith one another. The groove 883 a and ridge 883 b can be similar tothose of the closure or sealing mechanisms commonly utilized withresealable zipper bags, such as Ziploc® bags. Any suitable number ofgrooves and ridges can be utilized in any suitable combination. Flaps882 a, 882 b can be included to facilitate accessing the opening 882,such as by providing gripping surfaces for a user to open the closure orsealing mechanism 883, such as by pulling the flaps 882 a, 882 b apartor away from one another. In one aspect, the opening 882 can be sealed,such as with heat, to form a temporary or permanent seal.

The receptacle 881 can have any suitable configuration. For example, thereceptacle 881 can have edges or surfaces configured to facilitateremoval of a broken and/or crushed pill from the receptacle 881. In oneaspect, the receptacle 881 can have adjacent edges 894 a, 895 a with anangle 896 a greater than 90 degrees between the adjacent edges tofacilitate removal of the pill from the receptacle 881 by guiding thepill toward the access feature 888, which can be intersected by the edge895 a. In addition, the receptacle 881 can have adjacent edges 894 b,895 b with an angle 896 b greater than 90 degrees between the adjacentedges to facilitate removal of the pill from the receptacle 881 byguiding the pill toward the access feature 888, which can be intersectedby the edge 895 b. Thus, in this case, the angled edges 895 a, 895 b cancooperate to guide or funnel a broken and/or crushed pill toward theaccess feature 888, although only a single angled edge or surface maysuffice. It should be recognized that adjacent edges can intersect oneanother to form a “sharp” corner as illustrated in the figure, or suchan intersection can form a “rounded” corner, as desired.

The receptacle 881 can be defined at least in part by one or moreflexible sides 881 a, 881 b to facilitate breaking or crushing of thepill inside the receptacle 881. In one aspect, the flexible sides 881 a,881 b can be opposite one another. The pill pouch 880 can be constructedof any suitable material to provide the one or more flexible sides 881a, 881 b, such as any suitable plastic film (e.g., polyethylene) of anysuitable thickness. The edges 894 a, 894 b, 895 a, 895 b can be formedby welding, such as hot sealing. Thus, portions 897 a, 897 b of the pillpouch 880 may be a remnant of the manufacturing process and cantherefore be omitted from the pill pouch 880 if desired. In one aspect,the access feature 888 can be welded to the material forming theflexible sides 881 a, 881 b. The access feature 888 can include anaccess interface 888 a configured to facilitate removal of a pill fromthe receptacle 881 using an extraction instrument (e.g., a syringe, atube, a nozzle, a hypodermic needle, a hollow needle, etc.). The accessinterface 888 a of the access feature can therefore comprise aninterface structure of a luer connector, a hole, a port, a slit, abreakable membrane, etc. In one aspect, the access feature 888 can bepositioned to facilitate removal of a pill from the receptacle 881following crushing and/or rolling of the pill using an extractioninstrument, such as a syringe, whether in a dry powdered form or as aliquid solution. In one aspect, the access feature 888 can include avalve 888 b that can be in a normally closed configuration, which can beopened by an extraction instrument, such as when coupled to the accessfeature 888. The valve 888 b can be formed by a membrane 888 c having aslit 888 d or other such opening. The membrane 888 c can be configuredto close the slit 888 d or opening when not engaged with an extractioninstrument, and to open or enlarge the slit or opening when penetratedby an extraction instrument. Thus, the valve 888 b can maintain a sealfor the pill pouch keeping pill materials from escaping the receptacle881 while being broken and/or crushed. The valve 888 b can alsofacilitate the removal of air from the receptacle prior to breakingand/or crushing a pill, as well as the removal of the pill from thereceptacle once the pill has been broken and/or crushed.

In one aspect, the access feature 888 can include a human interfaceportion 888 e that can be configured to facilitate grasping by a humanfor manipulating the pill pouch 880, such as during crushing and/orrolling of a pill. Accordingly, the human interface portion 888 e can belocated in any suitable position about the pill pouch 880 and relativeto other elements of the access feature 888 to facilitate grasping by ahuman. The human interface portion 888 e can also be of any suitablesize to facilitate grasping by a human. In the example shown in FIG. 10, the human interface portion 888 e can facilitate grasping by a user'sindex finger and thumb while at least a portion of an extractioninstrument, such as a syringe, can be supported by the user's palmand/or other fingers while manipulating and maneuvering the pill pouch880, such as when crushing and/or rolling a pill. In one aspect, thehuman interface portion 888 e can include friction enhancing features(not shown), such as knurling, pebbling, texture, etc. to increase gripand reduce or minimize the likelihood of slippage when being grasped.

It should be recognized that the opening 882 and/or the access feature888 can be located or disposed at any suitable location about the pillpouch 880 and/or relative to the receptacle 881. In one aspect, variousfeatures of the pill pouch 880 can be configured and/or located tofacilitate effective operation of a pill preparation device as disclosedherein. For example, the closure or sealing mechanism 883 for theopening 882 and/or the access feature 888 can be located such that therewill be no interference with the operation of a pill preparation device,such as with a roller as the roller is manipulated about a platen duringuse. In one aspect, the access feature 888 and the opening 882 (i.e.,the closure or sealing mechanism 883) can be disposed at opposite endsof the receptacle 881, as shown in FIG. 10 . Such placement of thesefeatures can provide space for a pill preparation device roller tooperate in breaking and/or crushing a pill in the receptacle withoutinterference. Thus, the pill pouch 880 closure or sealing mechanism 883and/or access feature 888 can be located about a side, an edge, and/or aperiphery of the pill pouch 880 to facilitate proper operation of a pillpreparation device during use, such as avoiding interference with orinhibiting the operation of a roller to break up a pill.

In one aspect, the access feature 888 can be oriented such that alongitudinal axis 898 of the access feature 888 extends parallel to oneor both of the flexible sides 881 a, 881 b, as in FIG. 10 . In thiscase, the longitudinal axis 898 of the access feature 888 can coincidewith a longitudinal axis of the receptacle 881 or of the pill pouch 880.In another aspect, the access feature 888 can be oriented such that thelongitudinal axis 898 of the access feature 888 extends through thereceptacle 881 and the opening 882. Such orientations of the accessfeature 888 can facilitate a stable coupling of an extraction instrument(e.g., a syringe) with the pill pouch 880 such that a support surface,such as a table or a platen of a pill preparation device, cansimultaneously support both the pill pouch 880 and the extractioninstrument when coupled to one another. These orientations can alsofacilitate simultaneous grasping of the pill pouch 880, such as by thehuman interface portion 888 e, and a coupled extraction instrument by asingle hand of the user. The latter orientation, in particular, can alsofacilitate breaking and/or crushing a pill in the receptacle 881 with apill preparation device while the extraction instrument is coupled tothe pill pouch 880 by positioning the extraction instrument such thatthe extraction instrument will not interfere with operation of the pillpreparation device.

Although not illustrated, the pill pouch 880 can optionally include oneor more tabs disposed on sides of the receptacle, which can beconfigured to interface and/or couple with a pill preparation device,such as via a hole interfacing with pill pouch attachment features, asdisclosed hereinabove.

FIGS. 11A-11F illustrate the pill pouch of FIG. 10 in use in accordancewith an example of the present disclosure. As illustrated in FIG. 11A,pills 807 a, 807 b can be deposited in the receptacle 881 of the pillpouch 880 via the opening 882. An extraction instrument 899, such as asyringe, can be coupled to the access feature 888, as shown in FIG. 11B.With the opening 882 closed, the extraction instrument 899 can removeair from the pill pouch 880 to prevent the pill pouch from rupturing dueto the development of internal pressure while crushing and/or rollingthe pills 807 a, 807 b. FIG. 11C illustrates the pills 807 a, 807 b asbroken and/or crushed, such as by a pill preparation device of thepresent disclosure. As illustrated in FIG. 11C, the extractioninstrument 899 was removed from the pill pouch 880 for breaking and/orcrushing of the pills 807 a, 807 b. The valve (hidden from view) of theaccess feature 888 can maintain pill materials in the pill pouch 880during crushing and/or rolling operations. It should be recognized,however, that the extraction instrument 899 may remain with the pillpouch 880 throughout a crushing and/or rolling process. The humaninterface portion 888 e of the access feature 888 can facilitatemanipulation and maneuvering of the pill pouch 880 during crushingand/or rolling of the pills 807 a, 807 b, with or without the extractioninstrument 899 coupled to the access feature 888. As shown in FIG. 11D,after the pills 807 a, 807 b have been sufficiently crushed and/orrolled, a liquid can be introduced into the receptacle 881 via theaccess feature 888 using the extraction instrument 899, to form a liquidpill solution 807 c, which may be facilitated by shaking the pill pouch880 to mix the contents. Once the liquid pill solution 807 c has beenformed, the solution can be removed, withdrawn, or evacuated from thepill pouch 880 via the access feature 888 using the extractioninstrument 899, as shown in FIG. 11E. As illustrated in FIG. 11F, withthe liquid pill solution contained within the extraction instrument 899,the extraction instrument 899 can be removed from the pill pouch 880 andthe liquid pill solution can be delivered directly to a patient from theextraction instrument 899, such as by depositing the solution from theextraction instrument 899 into a feeding tube. Although in this examplea liquid was introduced to form a liquid pill solution for ease ofextraction and delivery, it should be recognized that a pill can remainin a dry or powder state or condition for removal from the pill pouch880. It should be recognized from the above description that the presentdisclosure provides a method for preparing a medication for a patient aswell as a method for treating a patient with a medication.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a methodfor preparing a pill for administration to a subject is disclosed. Themethod can comprise disposing a pill in a receptacle of a pill pouch viaan opening of the pill pouch. The method can also comprise at least oneof breaking up the pill and crushing the pill. In addition, the methodcan comprise removing the pill from the receptacle via an accessfeature. In one aspect, the method can further comprise removing airfrom the receptacle. In another aspect, the method can further compriseadding a liquid to the receptacle to form a liquid pill solution. In aparticular aspect of the method, removing the pill can comprisewithdrawing the liquid pill solution with an extraction instrument.

It is noted that no specific order is required in the methods disclosedherein, though generally in one embodiment, method steps can be carriedout sequentially.

It is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention disclosedare not limited to the particular structures, process steps, ormaterials disclosed herein, but are extended to equivalents thereof aswould be recognized by those ordinarily skilled in the relevant arts. Itshould also be understood that terminology employed herein is used forthe purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is notintended to be limiting.

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “anembodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic described in connection with the embodiment is includedin at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearancesof the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in variousplaces throughout this specification are not necessarily all referringto the same embodiment.

As used herein, a plurality of items, structural elements, compositionalelements, and/or materials may be presented in a common list forconvenience. However, these lists should be construed as though eachmember of the list is individually identified as a separate and uniquemember. Thus, no individual member of such list should be construed as ade facto equivalent of any other member of the same list solely based ontheir presentation in a common group without indications to thecontrary. In addition, various embodiments and example of the presentinvention may be referred to herein along with alternatives for thevarious components thereof. It is understood that such embodiments,examples, and alternatives are not to be construed as de factoequivalents of one another, but are to be considered as separate andautonomous representations of the present invention.

Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics maybe combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In thedescription, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples oflengths, widths, shapes, etc., to provide a thorough understanding ofembodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art willrecognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one ormore of the specific details, or with other methods, components,materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, oroperations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuringaspects of the invention.

While the foregoing examples are illustrative of the principles of thepresent invention in one or more particular applications, it will beapparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerousmodifications in form, usage and details of implementation can be madewithout the exercise of inventive faculty, and without departing fromthe principles and concepts of the invention. Accordingly, it is notintended that the invention be limited, except as by the claims setforth below.

What is claimed is:
 1. A pill pouch, comprising: a receptacle to containa pill, the receptacle having an opening to receive the pill therein,wherein the receptacle is defined at least in part by a flexible side tofacilitate breaking or crushing of the pill inside the receptacle; andan access feature associated with the receptacle to facilitate removalof the pill from the receptacle after the pill has been at least one ofbroken and crushed.
 2. The pill pouch of claim 1, wherein the receptaclecomprises a rectangular configuration.
 3. The pill pouch of claim 1,wherein the receptacle comprises an angle greater than 90 degreesbetween adjacent edges to facilitate removal of the pill from thereceptacle by guiding the pill toward the access feature.
 4. The pillpouch of claim 3, wherein the receptacle comprises a second anglegreater than 90 degrees between second adjacent edges, such that edgesassociated with the first and second angles intersect the accessfeature.
 5. The pill pouch of claim 1, wherein the access feature andthe opening are disposed at opposite ends of the receptacle.
 6. The pillpouch of claim 1, wherein the access feature is oriented such that alongitudinal axis of the access feature extends through the receptacleand the opening.
 7. The pill pouch of claim 1, wherein the accessfeature is oriented such that a longitudinal axis of the access featureextends parallel to the flexible side.
 8. The pill pouch of claim 1,further comprising a second flexible side opposite the first flexibleside.
 9. The pill pouch of claim 1, further comprising a sealingmechanism operable to alternately seal the opening and provide access tothe receptacle through the opening, the sealing mechanism having agroove and ridge configured to releasably interlock with one another.10. The pill pouch of claim 1, wherein the access feature comprises aluer connector.
 11. The pill pouch of claim 1, wherein the accessfeature comprises a hole, a port, a slit, a breakable membrane, or acombination thereof.
 12. The pill pouch of claim 1, wherein the accessfeature is configured to facilitate removal of the pill from thereceptacle using an extraction instrument.
 13. The pill pouch of claim12, wherein the extraction instrument comprises a syringe, a tube, anozzle, a hypodermic needle, a hollow needle, or combinations thereof.14. A pill pouch, comprising: a receptacle to contain a pill, thereceptacle having an opening to receive the pill therein, wherein thereceptacle is defined at least in part by a flexible side to facilitatebreaking or crushing of the pill inside the receptacle; a sealingmechanism operable to alternately seal the opening and provide access tothe receptacle through the opening, the sealing mechanism having agroove and ridge configured to releasably interlock with one another;and an access feature comprising a luer connector associated with thereceptacle to facilitate removal of the pill from the receptacle afterthe pill has been at least one of broken and crushed, wherein the accessfeature is oriented such that a longitudinal axis of the access featureextends parallel to the flexible side.
 15. The pill pouch of claim 14,wherein the access feature further comprises a human interface portionto facilitate grasping by a user to facilitate manipulation of the pillpouch when breaking or crushing the pill.
 16. The pill pouch of claim14, wherein the extraction instrument comprises a syringe.
 17. A pillpouch system, comprising: a pill pouch including a receptacle to containa pill, the receptacle having an opening to receive the pill therein,and an access feature comprising a luer connector to facilitate removalof the pill from the receptacle after the pill has been at least one ofbroken and crushed; and an extraction instrument coupleable to theaccess feature to remove the pill from the receptacle.
 18. The system ofclaim 17, wherein the extraction instrument comprises a syringe.
 19. Thesystem of claim 17, wherein the extraction instrument comprises a tube,a nozzle, a hypodermic needle, a hollow needle, or a combinationthereof.
 20. The system of claim 17, wherein the pill pouch furthercomprises a sealing mechanism operable to alternately seal the openingand provide access to the receptacle through the opening, the sealingmechanism having a groove and ridge configured to releasably interlockwith one another.